Smoked Chicken Sushi

If you do not like regular sushi or you are not allowed to eat raw fish (if you're pregnant) :) - try my delicious Smoked chicken sushi!

For Two - Three.


Ingredients:

1. Sushi Rice
2. Sushi Vinegar
OR
Rice Vinegar + 30 ml Sugar
3. +- 4 Nori Seaweed wraps
4. One Bamboo matt, wrapped in plastic-wrap
5. Salt
6. Chicken stock powder
7. 1 Smoked Chicken fillet
8. 1 Cucumber
9. Sushi Mayonaise
10. Pepper
11. Fresh Coriander
12. Fresh Chives
13. 1 Avo - Not to soft.
14. Sesame seed.
15. Light soya sauce
16. Sharp knife
17. Block of Kiri/Cream cheese


1. Cook your Sushi rice - read instructions on packet.
For this experiment you can cook 1 cup.
I soak my rice in cold water for 15 min. Drain the water and allow to stand for another 20min.
Bring the rice, 1.5 cups of water and 1tsp salt to the boil over medium heat. Add half a spoon of Chicken stock powder.
Cover with lid and simmer for 10-15 min.
Remove from heat. Place a clean cloth over the pot and replace lid. let stand for 15 min.

2. If you are NOT using SUSHI vinegar, prepare vinegar:
While you are waiting for the rice to cook, dissolve sugar and RICE vinegar over LOW heat.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While rice is cooking, prepare the rest of your ingredients and your workspace:

3. Cut your chicken breast and cucumber into strips of about 1cm thick and 10 cm long. Place it in a small plate.

4. Cut the avo into small strips - its easier if the avo is still a little firm. Cut it with the skin on, on the length of the avo, into little wedges. Then remove skin.

5. Wrap your bamboomat in plastic wrap - it helps that the rice does not stick on the mat. Also keep an ekstra piece of plastic wrap handy for the rolling.

6.Rinse your herbs and allow to dry.

7. Put sesame seed, about two tbs in a pan. Place over low heat and let it roast until golden/when it starts popping. 'Wiggle' the pan every now and then. Place sesame seeds in a big plate.

8. When the rice and vinegar is ready, place rice in a shallow bowl. I usually do this ritual near a window where there is a drift...it helps the rice to cool down faster. If neccesary, fan the rice. Slowly add the vinegar mixture in small amounts - run a spatula, in a slicing motion, through the rice while adding the vinegar. Thiss will seperate the grains. Use immediatly. Refrigiration makes the rice to sticky.

9. I cut my seaweed sheets in half with a sharp knive. Place half a sheet, vertical, on the mat - SHINY side to the bottom. Add some rice - about 2 tbs. Use that extra piece of plastic (it helps that your hands don't get stickey) and press the rice downover the seaweed - Do not apply the rice to thick. Leave about 1.5 cm of seaweed open at the top (furthest from you) - this is where we will seal it - wet that part with water using your finger.

10. At the bottom (closest to you) end place a chicken, cucumber and avo strip.

11. Starting at the bottom end, roll the sushi with the bamboo mat. Press it down firmly as you role. Seal the roll with the last bit of seawead and shape the roll by pressing it into a square or round.

12. Clean and wet your knive with a damp towel in between cuts! Cut off a SMall piece at each end to tidy up the roll. Cut roll into 4 wheels - do not cut your sushi to thin, it will fall apart when you try to eat it!

13. Put some mayo on each piece ad dust with sesame....

ENJOY

Other 2 options:

With Coriander and Cream cheese:

From step 9:
Place seaweed sheet, this time SHINY side UP, vertically on mat. Take 1 big scoop rice (just to cover thinly), roll into worm and place in center of the seaweed. Flatten rice with your hands using the extra piece of plastic. Leave about 1.5 cm of seaweed open at the top (furthest from you) - this is where we will seal it - wet that part with water using your finger. Pick up the whole sheet with the rice, and press, with rice side down, into the sesame seeds. See that all of the rice is covered. Put Sesame and rice side facing down on the mat with the empty piece of seaweed at the TOP.

10. Put rice on the rough side of the seaweed and flatten into THIN layer. Also leaving the top 1.5 cm uncovered.

11. At the bottom, nearest to you, place a chicken, cucumber and Kiri cheese strip.

12. Starting at the bottom end, roll the sushi with the bamboo mat. Press it down firmly as you role. Seal the roll with the last bit of seaweed and shape the roll by pressing it square or round.

13. Clean and wet your knive with a damp towel in between cuts! Cut off a SMall piece at each end to tidy up the roll. Cut roll into 4 wheels - do not cut your sushi to thin, it will fall apart when you try to eat it!

14. Put a little bit of Mayo on each wheel of shushi and garnish with a fresh Coliander leaf - GREAT with chicken!

With Black pepper and Chives:

The same as the FIRST recipe - at step 9 - Cover rice with freshly ground Black pepper - enough.

Place chicken, cucumber at the bottom - and roll!
For finishing touches - add mayounaise and 2 sprigs of chives, about 3 cm, on each piece.

Experiment!!! Look at the photo's for end results! LEt me know what you think!